Bachmann: Taxpayers Footing Bill for ACORN

Rep. Michele Bachmann tells Newsmax that taxpayers are being forced to "grease the wheels" for the activist group ACORN by providing it with federal funds even though the organization has been indicted for voter registration fraud.

The Minnesota Republican has introduced the Taxpayer Protection and Anti-Fraud Act, which would bar any organization that has been indicted for violating federal or state election laws, or employs someone indicted for violating those laws, from receiving taxpayer funds.

See Video: Rep. Michele Bachmann how taxpayers are forced to pay for ACORN’s questionable activities - Click Here Now

That would cut off federal funds for The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which has been accused of paying its voter registration recruiters based on the number of people they sign up.

Newsmax.TV's Ashley Martella asked Bachmann about her bill.

"The act is based on some very common sense principles that I think resonate with a lot of Americans right now," Bachmann said.

"What we're trying to do is raise the bar a little bit higher for accessing taxpayer funds than to be indicted for voter fraud. My opinion is that receiving taxpayer funds is a privilege. It's not a right. And right now taxpayer money has been going to an organization that has used it in a way that has put itself in the crosshairs with the public trust.

"They've been indicted not just in one state or two states or three states, but now they've been indicted and in some cases convicted in over a dozen states. It certainly seems at this point that the taxpayers can do a little bit better with this money."

Martella observed that the Barack Obama campaign gave ACORN $800,000 before the election, and now there are billions in the so-called stimulus bill available for ACORN and similar groups. He asked how ACORN can be stopped from getting this public money.

"It's very difficult to stop them if the taxpayer is greasing the wheels for them to be able to do their work," Bachmann responded.

"Since 1994, ACORN has been the recipient of over $53 million in direct federal money. Now that Barack Obama is president, ACORN will have access to over $8.5 billion, between the stimulus and the budget plan. That's an enormous amount of money for an organization that is under indictment in over 12 states.

"Our bill does nothing to take away the due process rights of ACORN. They still can have their day in court. They can still be adjudicated.

"All we're saying is that if an organization would choose to receive federal tax money, they need to have a higher bar set in order to be able to access that money.

"Now it's time for Congress to choose. Congress needs to decide whose side are they going to be on. Are they going to be on the side of the taxpayer or will they be on the side of ACORN? It's time for choosing."

Martella asked what kind of support Bachmann has been receiving for her bill.

"Tremendous support," she declared.

"The leadership in the House of Representatives on the Republican side has gone completely on board with my bill. Our Minority Leader John Boehner has signed on to my bill. He's urged all the members of the Republican caucus to sign on, and we're urging the Democrat members to sign on as well.

"This is a very serious issue. And now we have the specter of President Obama inviting ACORN to be one of his national partners in conducting the Census."

ACORN has reportedly been asked to help the White House find 1.4 million workers to canvass for the country’s 2010 census.

See Video: Rep. Michele Bachmann how taxpayers are forced to pay for ACORN’s questionable activities - Click Here Now